A man threatened to ‘poke up’ and shoot a woman after she raised concerns about drugs being taken at his property.
Kevin Thomas-Fuller, 27, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Malicious Communications Act Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 21 April.
Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, said the woman phoned him after she’d been told somebody was taking drugs at his home, where a child was at the time.
But the conversation turned into an argument, and Thomas-Fuller initially threatened to stab her before later in the call, threatening to shoot her.
He said: “I know where you live, I’m going to come and poke you up.”
An associate of the victim took over the phone call, and he continued: “If you don’t put her on the phone again I’m going to poke her up. I’ll shoot her up instead if you like.”
The woman was left fearing for her life and the police were called, Mr Ballinger told the court.
“She was concerned he would do something to hurt her and had no idea if he had access to a gun or not”, he said.
In a custody interview, Thomas-Fuller accepted he made the threats but claimed he did not have any intention of carrying them out. He said he was wound up during the calls and just wanted them to leave him alone.
Mark Glendenning, defending, said that his client felt he was “goaded” into making the comments, adding that he said them to “dissuade” them from calling”.
“He simply lost his temper”, he commented.
Probation officer Mr Lincoln said the labourer has a “long history of responding to situations badly” and suggested that this could be worked on during a community order.
He said Thomas-Fuller has a history of domestic violence-based offending and struggles with drug misuse – using cannabis and cocaine on the day of the offence.
Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with ten rehabilitation activity requirement days.
